


The History of Horology

by wittyno



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Episode: s03e10 Regional Holiday Music, F/M, Fluff and Angst, New Year's Eve, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28471149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wittyno/pseuds/wittyno
Summary: New Year's Eve one-shot set after Regional Holiday Music. Jeff and Annie deal with the fall out of Annie's Christmas performance.
Relationships: Annie Edison/Abed Nadir, Annie Edison/Jeff Winger
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	The History of Horology

**Author's Note:**

> I finished this right before midnight my time. A big thank you to the #fan-fic channel on the Community Discord server. I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are welcome.

Annie Edison groaned as she blinked her eyes open. Pain taking a hammer to her skull.

Annie stretched and tried to ignore the headache. She sat up pin straight in her bed only to have her shoulders slump as the memory of her Christmas pageant performance replayed on her mind’s silver screen. This was only the first of these viewings her brain would subject her to today.

The memory of Jeff’s face of pitying confusion was her only companion these days. What had compelled her to give a stunned in disgust Jeff Winger a lap dance? She had blown up her relationship with Jeff to the tune of some saccharine Christmas song. The power of Glee had only held her embarrassment at bay until half-way through the Doctor Spacetime Christmas Special. By then Annie had leaned into the chair. Jeff got up to hunt for some Macallan Annie kept in the apartment for him. He called from the kitchen, “Hey Annie, did you reorganize the kitchen again, because you hit a point of…” Jeff trailed off. Annie’s face went beet red.

She had hoped that maybe all this Glee would wipe away his memory of her. The shame in her belly sent tears to her eyes, but she forced herself not to shed them. Not in front of everyone. Tremors ran through her hands, but Abed, whose hand she was still holding, remained motionless. Jeff closed the cabinets, having found what he was looking for. Annie knew she had to escape now. Jeff would know she was on the verge of tears. Either he would point it out to everyone or simply ignore her pain. She didn’t want to stick around to find out which it was. She got up as quickly as she dared and made a dash for her room.

Luckily, she had a set of essentials in her bedroom. A necessary precaution after one memorable weekend in the loft when Abed and Troy and commandeered the bathroom for the finale of a pirate themed adventure. As she got ready for bed, a pit in her stomach opened and filled with the true nature of her crime. She wanted to blame Mariah Carey and her love songs, but the truth was Annie wanted Jeff to admit that she was right. Prove she wasn’t some love-lorn teenybopper with her head in the clouds. Remove all of his excuses and caveats and lay bare what they both knew. This was the third time she had gone out on a limb for him and he had shot her down again. What perfect madness. 

But now? Three days, no showers, and many ignored calls and texts later, Annie was right where Jeff had left her. Embarrassed and alone in her bed on a freezing Sunday morning. 

Between buttered noodle dish seven and eight, Annie realized that the new relationship he had promised her on the study room couch was one where he wouldn’t indulge in her delusional fantasy. He’d simply walk away, chipping away at their fragile friendship.

Annie got up, pulled on her fluffy pink robe and padded out of her room. The faint warbling of the TV sounded from the living room.

“Annie, come watch _When Harry Met Sally_ with me.” Annie flinched in surprise as she Abed’s voice from the living room. She shrugged and headed over to the unoccupied lazy boy. Something pricked Annie’s consciousness. Why wasn’t Abed explaining the movie? He was just sitting there watching. Annie loved _When Harry Met Sally_ , and so decided not to question it. When the credits rolled, Annie looked over at Abed and found him looking back at her. 

“Do you want to watch it again?” Annie’s brows wrinkled.  
“No…” Annie trailed off. A New Year’s Resolution forming in her head. The first thing she did was take a shower. She relished the blistering heat of the water forcing feeling back into her muscles. Annie didn’t want to force Jeff to admit the truth she had known for two years. He’d push her away again with that gut-wrenching look of paternal pity and concern. It didn’t matter that he had admitted it was a front, because with Jeff, guilt won every time. Annie was done waiting for Jeff to win the battle against his demons. Annie wanted to give Jeff one last opening to kiss her. Greendale was undoubtedly having a New Year’s Bash. The dean never passed up an opportunity to cover everyone and everything in sparkles. For the occasion, Annie put on a lilac sleeveless chiffon dress and golden sandals.

* * *

While Annie Edison was in hiding in her embarrassment; confusion plagued Jeff Winger. Jeff was leaning against the sandwich counter in the cafeteria, sipping a Macallan. The study group was once again indulging one of the dean’s dances. This time it was a New Year’s Eve dance. The cafeteria was full of pink and purple balloons. Jeff had hit his head on a low hanging balloon and as it popped it had showered him in glitter. He had been on his way out the door, hoping that a glitter shower was a good enough excuse for him to leave and not get in trouble with Annie. But at that second Annie had walked through the door.

They locked eyes and for a second they were back in that supply closet. Annie sitting in his lap, looking down at him with her doe eyes glazed over. He could hear himself saying his stupid quip about “diminishing returns” and Annie’s facial expression melting from dumb into existential horror. But what was he supposed to have said? “Annie, you you already occupy most of my fantasies”.“Annie, you don’t have to give me a lap dance to convince me to join Glee club”. “Annie, I already have a constant urge to kiss you.” When she emerged in that little sexy outfit. Jeff’s jaw dropped, and he’d sputtered “Whaaaaa?” The only reason he hadn’t kissed her was that even though the dance had been sexy, it wasn’t his Annie. His Annie was intelligent, witty, and spitfire. Not some Christmas blow-up doll. It hadn’t stopped him from checking her out. He was only human. 

Since then, the rest of the study group had pondered why they had joined the Glee club. Jeff had played along, but he knew why he had joined the Glee club. Annie had asked. After she had changed back into her clothes. She had directly looked at him and said “please” and that’s all she ever needed to say. Deep in memory, Jeff didn’t notice Britta and Abed coming up to him. 

“What’s your New Year’s resolution?” Britta asked, holding her second glass of Bailey’s. Jeff gave her the patented Winger smirk.

“I don’t need resolutions. I’m perfect.”

“How can you stand upright with such a big ego weighing you down?” Britta asked. 

“Come on, guys let’s dance.” Troy called from the middle of the cafeteria where the dean had set up a makeshift dance floor with flashing lights. Britta moved to join Troy. Abed looked inquisitively at Jeff. 

Jeff flat out replied, “I don’t dance.” 

“You danced with Annie on Halloween” _But that was Annie._ He escaped having to answer Abed’s implied question, because Annie had arrived at the bar/counter. She grinned, twirling in her new lilac dress. The disco lights making the golden zippers shimmer. Jeff’s cheeks heated and his mind cut in with the familiar argument. _She’s so young. She’s 21 now. She’s naïve. Hector the well-endowed wasn’t naïve. That was a fantasy world. This is actual life. Her lap dance showed you what she wants. Annie doesn’t know what she wants. You’re just the first attractive guy she met. A stand-in._

Annie said with an unnatural edge in her voice; “I need you to hold me to my New Year’s resolution.” She had asked Jeff to take her on his morning runs. He’d agreed instantly. A friend needed his help, and that’s all it was. There was no part of him that had agreed because the idea of Annie covered in sweat and wearing a tight running outfit turned him on. 

“Doctor Rich is right over there if you want to fulfill that kiss him at midnight on New Year’s Eve trope” Abed said. Jeff’s fists clenched. He hated perfect-doctor Rich. Annie smiled and twirled her hair. Jeff felt the air drain out of the room. As if someone had trapped Jeff in a bottle and was sucking out the air.

He slowly backed away and the second he hit cafeteria doors he bolted. He sank down on the front steps, resting his forearms on his thighs, and took a couple of deep breaths. Annie was going to kiss Doctor Rich tonight. Jeff’s gig as her stand-in was official up. He tried to be happy for Annie. Let her have a beautiful life with doctor handsome. He couldn’t offer her that. All Jeff had was a shoebox full of demons. Out of nowhere, Annie plopped down beside him. He turned to her and found her a look of concern on her gorgeous face. 

“Everyone is waiting for you. The ball is about to drop,” she said, but made no motion to get up. It was hard to look at Annie, so he focused on a point in the distance. 

“We make such a big deal out such a non-event.” Jeff took a deep breath, the fresh air filling his lungs gave him the confidence to continue. “Everything that is true today will still be true tomorrow. All our problems will still be here.” 

“You sure about that? Because I’m not so sure,” Jeff raised an eyebrow. Annie was above all logical. She had to know that just because the number on the calendar changed doesn’t magically make everything better. Annie leaned against him, resting her hand on his and whispered. 

“I think it depends on what you make of it. Nothing will change if you don’t act. But if you act...” she trailed off. Jeff looked down at her hand resting on his. Annie’s touch was delicate, yet it anchored him to this moment. Months’ worth of tension in his chest flowed out of him, replaced by Annie’s unwavering hope. Jeff realized there was no place he would rather be than sitting on Greendale’s cold and dirty front steps with Annie Edison. Jeff looked back up at Annie, and his heart hiccuped in his chest.

Her blue eyes twinkled with delight, like she too only wants to be here. His lips tugged into a small smile. In a moment of enraptured madness, he cupped her cheek and kissed her tenderly. Jeff closed his eyes and time stood still. Annie’s lips were soft and inviting. She let out a soft moan and shifted closer to him. Jeff’s entire body was alight with exploding fireworks. Showering them in a dizzying array of warm light. 

Much too soon they broke apart, both grinning like idiots. Annie’s face and neck were flushed in red. Jeff’s eyes followed the flush down into Annie’s low-cut neckline. Realizing the danger, his eyes snapped back to her face. Annie gave him a knowing smile and stood up. Annie brushed a bit of dirt off her dress and said, “see you tomorrow at 8.” 

* * *

A stabbing pain erupted in Annie Edison’s side. Why did she do this to herself? Annie’s joints ached, a stitch burrowing itself deeper into her side. Annie looked up and saw that Jeff was almost around the next corner, and despite her body’s protests, she redoubled her effort. It’s not a race, Annie reminded herself, as sweat rolled down her back. It’s just two friends going for a morning run, or more accurately Jeff running and Annie trying and failing to keep up. Jeff just had freakishly long legs. She would not let him win. Only the thunks of her feet hitting the pavement punctured the chilly January morning air. Snow covered most of the lawns and trees. She forced herself to suck in the cutting morning air. 

The only reason she was in this mess was because she had been too nervous about her actual New Year’s resolution. So when Shirley had asked the group about their resolutions, Annie had panicked and all she’d come up with was morning runs. Pre-kiss Jeff had volunteered to help. Post-kiss Annie was stunned when post-kiss Jeff still showed up at her door at ten past eight the next morning.

Annie’s actual plan had been simple: spend the evening with Jeff. She had spent the week between Christmas and New Year’s drawing up hundreds of plans to manipulate Jeff into admitting his feelings. Abed had volunteered to help with some more extreme ones, like locking them in an abandoned elevator shaft. But somewhere between figuring out if Jeff could fit into a child’s rubber play house and checking her life insurance plan, Annie had realized that none of this was going to work.

She didn’t want to manipulate or force Jeff into kissing her. Annie had made her intentions clear. Now Jeff had to decide. He needed to be ready to let himself kiss her or not. It wasn’t an ultimatum; it was an opportunity. This plan had made Annie miserable, but she knew she couldn’t ensure a good outcome. She just had to hope that Jeff Winger would come through. Jeff Winger had kissed Annie Edison. Annie had replayed their first kiss so often that she was worried she had turned it into a fairytale. But she need not have worried, which begged the question. Why, after a fantastic kiss, was Jeff Winger running away from her? Deep down Annie knew that just like a new calendar, one kiss wouldn’t fix anything. 

After another ten minutes of excruciating pain, Jeff slowed down. He turned around, surprise lighting up his face when he saw her trying to catch her breath behind him.

“You’re still here? I thought you’d give up.” Annie smirked up at him. 

“Since when do I give up?” Jeff shrugged and looked to the sky, refusing to meet her gaze.

“Look, Annie, I just wanted to apologize for last night. It was wrong for me to kiss you.” 

Annie laughed and rolled her eyes. Jeff Winger was a lot of things: sarcastic, smart, protective, but predictable. Annie had prepared for Jeff’s predator narrative. She pulled a piece of scented pale pink paper out of the pocket of her running pants and handed it to him. It was the only preparation Annie had allowed herself. She’d written her resolution on a piece of paper.

“You planned this?” The astonishment written on his face.

“No. I gave you one last opportunity to show me how you feel. The rest was you.” Annie crossed her arms. Her chest feeling heavy. She wasn’t sure if it was to be assertive or protect herself. 

“I’m…” Jeff started. Annie threw up her hands. Annie tried not to let her exasperation show, but it was hard.

“I don’t want to hear excuses. You either want me or you don’t. What’s it going to be?” Again, he refused to meet her gaze. Annie’s stomach constricted. This felt eerily familiar. Annie could see his brain trying to process what was happening. Last time Annie had decided for him. She had gone and asked out Rich. This time Annie stayed silent and waited. Jeff met her eyes, a rare hope filled look in his eyes. A second later, Jeff Winger was finally kissing Annie Edison. 

**Author's Note:**

> Here is a link to the dress (the neckline is a bit higher): https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/03/6o5a0355-1.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1956&h=1304&crop=1


End file.
